This invention is directed to the synchronization between a food preparation apparatus and a food holding station and, in particular, a method and apparatus for synchronizing the amount of food leaving the holding station during a given time period and being prepared at the preparation appliance.
As is known in the art in commercial kitchens, food is prepared at a food processing appliance such as an oven, a fryer or the like. However, in order to meet demand, more food than is immediately necessary is often prepared. Therefore, restaurants, cafeterias, quick serve restaurants and the like make use of holding stations, usually heated devices near the point-of-sale or service to maintain the food in a heated edible condition. However, food safety guidelines put maximum limits on the amount of time at which food may be held at the holding station. By way of example, fried fish may be held at a holding station for only forty minutes. After the forty-minute holding period, the food cannot be used for restaurant consumption.
Often, the holding station is remote from the food preparation area. Currently, servers must empirically monitor the holding station to determine when food will run out. Food may run out by either consumption or the elapsing of the holding time. The holding time requires continuous monitoring by food servers. As servers monitor the holding station, they will indicate to the food preparers that more food may be required. However, as a result of servers multitasking with functions other than monitoring the holding area, the holding area runs out of food product before the holding time elapses, or the holding time elapses before an order is made to the food preparation area for more food. As a result, the holding area may go empty even when there is demand for food.
Accordingly, a method and apparatus for overcoming this shortcoming is desired.